Paired Trials Research Articles

Distinct contributions of BDNF/MEK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway components to whisker-dependent tactile learning and memory.

Whisker-mediated tactile perception is essential for rodent navigation, food acquisition, and social interactions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tactile information processing, learning, and memory have not been studied to the same extent as for other modalities. Using immunohistochemical staining, we investigated changes in regional c-Fos expression as an index of neuronal activity and phosphorylated (p)ERK1/2 as an index of ERK1/2 activity in mice trained on a tactile-cued 8-arm radial maze task. Over 12 trials, mice learned to selectively explore four baited arms covered with wire as the tactile cue while avoiding un-baited uncovered arms. The density of c-Fos+ cells was significantly higher in somatosensory cortex but not frontal cortex or amygdala of mice exposed to tactile cue - bait pairing compared to mice exposed to the same maze with all arms baited with or without tactile cues (unpaired conditions). The density of pERK1/2+ cells was also increased after paired trials 7 and 12 but not after paired trials 1 and 3 in frontal cortex, amygdala, and somatosensory cortex compared to mice exposed to the unpaired condition. The MEK1/2 inhibitor SL327 reduced c-Fos expression in frontal cortex and amygdala when applied during early trials, but impaired working memory when applied before later trials without affecting c-Fos expression. Heterozygous BDNF knockout mice exhibited impaired task learning and reduced pERK1/2 expression in frontal cortex and amygdala but not somatosensory cortex. These findings suggest that the BDNF/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway selectively promotes memory trace formation in frontal cortex and amygdala but not encoding in somatosensory cortex.

Vertical tillage effects on crop production and pest management in Pennsylvania

AbstractWithin the last four decades, widespread transition to no‐till corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production in Pennsylvania has improved soil conservation and soil quality but can result in residue and pest management challenges. To effectively manage residue in no‐till cropping systems, some growers have adopted vertical tillage, a residue management practice characterized by cutting and incorporating crop residue within the top 5–10 cm of soil. Despite few studies documenting effects on crop production and soil conservation, vertical tillage has become widespread. Replicated on‐farm trials were conducted over a 2‐year period in 2021–2022 to improve grower and consultant decision‐making regarding the role of vertical tillage relative to continuous no‐till on southeast Pennsylvania farms located within the environmentally sensitive Chesapeake Bay Watershed. We assessed the effects of vertical tillage on corn residue cover, winter annual weed abundance, slug damage, and soybean performance in 40 paired strip trials comparing spring vertical tillage to no‐till using three different vertical tillage tools used by farmer cooperators. Vertical tillage equipment type is a driver of variation in changes to surface residue cover. Baseline surface residue cover was similar among no‐till strips, but a greater proportion (32%) of strips had mean surface residue cover levels below a 60% conservation program compliance threshold when a Kuhn‐Krause Excelerator was used. Relative to no‐till, vertical tillage resulted in a 50% reduction in winter annual weed cover, a 24% reduction in slug damage, and no significant differences in soybean stand establishment or grain yield.

Intrasexual aggression reduces mating success in field crickets.

Aggressive behaviour is thought to have significant consequences for fitness, sexual selection and the evolution of social interactions, but studies measuring its expression across successive encounters-both intra- and intersexual-are limited. We used the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus to evaluate factors affecting repeatability of male aggression and its association with mating success. We quantified focal male aggression expressed towards partners and received from partners in three successive, paired trials, each involving a different male partner. We then measured a proxy of focal male fitness in mating trials with females. The likelihood and extent of aggressive behaviour varied across trials, but repeatability was negligible, and we found no evidence that patterns of focal aggression resulted from interacting partner identity or prior experience. Males who consistently experienced aggression in previous trials showed decreased male mating 'efficiency'-determined by the number of females a male encountered before successfully mating, but the effect was weak and we found no other evidence that intrasexual aggression was associated with later mating success. During mating trials, however, we observed unexpected male aggression towards females, and this was associated with markedly decreased male mating efficiency and success. Our findings suggest that nonadaptive aggressive spillover in intersexual mating contexts could be an important but underappreciated factor influencing the evolution of intrasexual aggression.

Assessing acceptability of wild and cultivated hosts of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) under semifield conditions.

Lycorma delicatula White (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is an invasive phloem feeder with a broad host range that includes both hardwood trees and cultivated temperate fruit crops. Here, we evaluated acceptability of wild hosts, A. altissima and Juglans nigra L. (Fagales: Juglandaceae) and cultivated hosts Vitis vinifera, Malus domestica (Rosales: Rosaceae), and Prunus persica L. Batsch (Rosales: Rosaceae) to L. delicatula under field conditions. Fluorescent-marked early instar nymphs, late instar nymphs, or adult L. delicatula were released at the base of single potted host plants and the number of individuals retained was recorded over 24 h. Paired choice trials with A. altissima and another host plant were conducted. Individuals retained on or moving between plants were recorded over 24 h. Sentinel A. altissima, J. nigra, V. vinifera, M. domestica, and P. persica potted plants were deployed at 5 sites and the number of L. delicatula present on each plant was recorded weekly. In single and paired host trials, early instars and adults were generally retained in higher numbers on A. altissima and V. vinifera, and late instars were retained on A. altissima and J. nigra. Significantly more L. delicatula were present on sentinel A. altissima compared with other host plants, except J. nigra during the period when late instars were the most prevalent lifestage in the field. These results indicate that wild hosts such as A. altissima and J. nigra are likely supporting establishment of L. delicatula populations, and that presence of cultivated V. vinifera may contribute to population establishment and growth.

Display Responses of Galápagos Lava Lizards ( Microlophus bivittatus) to Manipulation of Male Shoulder Epaulets on Conspecific-Mimicking Robots

Many animal taxa perform stereotyped displays during ritualized contests over territory and mates. Such displays facilitate assessment of an opponent's prowess and reduce the probability of physical injury. Color patterns likewise can serve as indicators of an individual's body condition. Male San Cristóbal Lava Lizards (Microlophus bivittatus) of the Galápagos Islands possess a black epaulet on each shoulder that contrasts with their surrounding body coloration. We created robots with the appearance of conspecific males to explore the potential function(s) of the epaulets in a series of four experiments. Our experiments focused on epaulet presence/absence, body location, and location relative to the axis of body motion (pectoral versus pelvic girdle) during pushups. Paired trials were conducted with adult males and females using a robot that performed M. bivittatus signature displays and that differed on its two sides in epaulet attributes. We quantified two kinds of bobbing displays in subjects: signature displays and two-bob displays. We also computed a composite response (CR) score, in which point values were assigned to types of nonbobbing displays and display combinations according to the apparent level of subject aggression. Results of Experiment 1 showed that males (but not females) performed more signature displays to the side of the robot with the epaulet present than to the side with the epaulet absent, suggesting that epaulets serve a signaling function. Composite response scores did not differ between treatments for either sex. In Experiment 2 neither males nor females performed more bobbing displays to an enlarged epaulet than to an epaulet reduced in size. However, males exhibited greater CR scores to the enlarged epaulet, suggesting that epaulet size or conspicuousness is important to its function. In Experiment 3 neither sex produced more bobbing displays to an epaulet on the robot's shoulder than to one on its hip. Yet, males accumulated significantly larger CR scores in response to the shoulder epaulet than to the hip epaulet, indicating that males were aware of normal epaulet location. Finally, in Experiment 4, where our robot performed hindlimb rather than forelimb pushups, subjects failed to exhibit more bobbing displays in response to a shoulder epaulet than to a hip epaulet. CR scores also did not differ between treatments for either sex, perhaps due to the striking abnormality of hindlimb-driven bobbing displays. Although the function of M. bivittatus epaulets remains elusive, these markings clearly are salient to male conspecifics.

Step-adaptive sound guidance enhances locomotor-respiratory coupling in novice female runners: A proof-of-concept study.

Many runners struggle to find a rhythm during running. This may be because 20-40% of runners experience unexplained, unpleasant breathlessness at exercise onset. Locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC), a synchronization phenomenon in which the breath is precisely timed with the steps, may provide metabolic or perceptual benefits to address these limitations. It can also be consciously performed. Hence, we developed a custom smartphone application to provide real-time LRC guidance based on individual step rate. Sixteen novice-intermediate female runners completed two control runs outdoors and indoors at a self-selected speed with auditory step rate feedback. Then, the runs were replicated with individualized breath guidance at specific LRC ratios. Hexoskin smart shirts were worn and analyzed with custom algorithms to estimate continuous LRC frequency and phase coupling. LRC guidance led to a large significant increase in frequency coupling outdoor from 26.3 ± 10.7 (control) to 69.9 ± 20.0 % (LRC) "attached". There were similarly large differences in phase coupling between paired trials, and LRC adherence was stronger for the indoor treadmill runs versus outdoors. There was large inter-individual variability in running pace, preferred LRC ratio, and instruction adherence metrics. Our approach demonstrates how personalized, step-adaptive sound guidance can be used to support this breathing strategy in novice runners. Subsequent investigations should evaluate the skill learning of LRC on a longer time basis to effectively clarify its risks and advantages.

A robust field-based method to screen heat tolerance in wheat

Wheat is highly sensitive to heat shocks and their timing. Hence, field-based ranking for heat tolerance may be confounded by phenological variations at the time of heat events. A photoperiod-extension method (PEM) was developed, allowing screening of wheat genotypes at matched developmental stages despite phenological variations. Paired trials were conducted to compare PEM and conventional field screening. In the PEM, artificial lighting was installed at one end of each row, inducing a gradient of flowering times. Individual stems or plot quadrats of each genotype were tagged at flowering. Late-sown plants experienced significantly more heat and greater grain yield reductions than early sown plants. Strong correlations between trials experiencing a similar degree of heat were found both for individual grain weight (IGW) and total grain weight with the PEM, either with individual stem tagging or quadrat tagging. By contrast, correlations for IGW and yield in these environments were either poor or negative for conventional trials. With the PEM, strong genetic correlations were found between irrigated environments of similar heat stress, with respective r correlations ranged from 0.46 to 0.8 for IGW; and 0.54–0.75 for total grain weight. By contrast these correlations were substantially weaker for conventional yield plots (average r values ranged from 0.11 to 0.53 for IGW; and 0.05–0.36 for grain yield. The quadrat sampling appeared overall more suitable for high-throughput phenotyping. The method promises to improve the efficiency of heat tolerance field screening, particularly when comparing genotypes of different maturity types.

Comparison of Novel Biochars and Steam Activated Carbon from Mixed Conifer Mill Residues

There is increasing demand in environmental remediation and other sectors for specialized sorbents made from renewable materials rather than hard coals and minerals. The proliferation of new pyrolysis technologies to produce bio-based energy, fuels, chemicals, and bioproducts from biomass has left significant gaps in our understanding of how the various carbonaceous materials produced by these systems respond to processes intended to improve their adsorption properties and commercial value. This study used conventional steam activation in an industrial rotary calciner to produce activated carbon (AC) from softwood biochars made by three novel pyrolysis systems. Steam was injected across four heating zones ranging from 816 °C to 927 °C during paired trials conducted at calciner retention times of 45 min and 60 min. The surface area of the three biochars increased from 2.0, 177.3, and 289.1 m2 g−1 to 868.4, 1092.9, and 744.8 m2 g−1, respectively. AC iodine number ranged from 951 to 1218 mg g−1, comparing favorably to commercial AC produced from bituminous coal and coconut shell. The results of this study can be used to operationalize steam activation as a post-processing treatment for biochar and to expand markets for biochar as a precursor in the manufacture of specialized industrial sorbents.

Comparing the sensitivities of two screening tests in nonblinded randomized paired screen-positive trials withdifferential screening uptake.

Before a new screening test can be used in routine screening, its performance needs to be compared to the standard screening test. This comparison is generally done in population screening trials with a screen‐positive design where participants undergo one or both screening tests after which disease verification takes place for those positive on at least one screening test. We consider the randomized paired screen‐positive design of Alonzo and Kittelson where participants are randomized to receive one of the two screening tests and only participants with a positive screening test subsequently receive the other screening test followed by disease verification. The tests are usually offered in an unblinded fashion in which case the screening uptake may differ between arms, in particular when one test is more burdensome than the other. When uptake is associated with disease, the estimator for the relative sensitivity derived by Alonzo and Kittelson may be biased and the type I error of the associated statistical test is no longer guaranteed to be controlled. We present methods for comparing sensitivities of screening tests in randomized paired screen‐positive trials that are robust to differential screening uptake. In a simulation study, we show that our methods adequately control the type I error when screening uptake is associated with disease. We apply the developed methods to data from the IMPROVE trial, a nonblinded cervical cancer screening trial comparing the accuracy of HPV testing on self‐collected versus provider‐collected samples. In this trial, screening uptake was higher among participants randomized to self‐collection.

Efficiency of additional organic inputs for carbon sequestration in agricultural soils modulated by the priming effect and physical accessibility

Increasing carbon input (CI) to soil has been widely recommended (e.g., residue retention and manure application) to sequester more carbon in agricultural soils thereby mitigating climate change and improving soil quality. However, carbon sequestration may not respond linearly to additional CI due to their active interactions with the turnover of native soil organic carbon (SOC) via such as the priming effect and mediating SOC accessibility to decomposition. In this study, we collected SOC measurements from 22 long-term paired trials (12–142 years) with two levels of CI [i.e., a treatment with carbon input (+CI) and another treatment with less carbon input (-CI) compared with + CI] across the globe. We used these observed SOC to constrain a carbon model and analyse SOC turnover processes as impacted by CI to the soil. The results show that there are divergent responses of SOC turnover processes to CI, indicated by large variability of changes in decay rates of carbon pools, transfer coefficient of carbon flow from fast to slow pools, and physical accessibility to decomposition. Initial SOC at the start of the trial, the average amount of CI during the experiment, and soil bulk density are the three most important variables underlying such divergent responses. Simulation experiments suggest that these discrepancies in SOC turnover processes induced by CI have significant consequences on the efficiency of increasing carbon inputs for SOC sequestration. Ignoring the effect of additional CI leads to overestimation or underestimation of CI required to achieve typical SOC sequestration targets depending on baseline SOC content and temperature. Our results demonstrate the vital role of CI in regulating SOC turnover processes, which have site-specific consequences on the management of carbon inputs to sequester SOC.

Context is Key: Social Environment Mediates the Impacts of a Psychoactive Pollutant on Shoaling Behavior in Fish.

Behavior-modifying drugs, such as antidepressants, are increasingly being detected in waterways and aquatic wildlife around the globe. Typically, behavioral effects of these contaminants are assessed using animals tested in social isolation. However, for group-living species, effects seen in isolation may not reflect those occurring in realistic social settings. Furthermore, interactions between chemical pollution and other stressors, such as predation risk, are seldom considered. This is true even though animals in the wild are rarely, if ever, confronted by chemical pollution as a single stressor. Here, in a 2 year multigenerational experiment, we tested for effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine (measured concentrations [±SD]: 42.27 ± 36.14 and 359.06 ± 262.65 ng/L) on shoaling behavior in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) across different social contexts and under varying levels of perceived predation risk. Shoaling propensity and shoal choice (choice of groups with different densities) were assessed in a Y-maze under the presence of a predatory or nonpredatory heterospecific, with guppies tested individually and in male-female pairs. When tested individually, no effect of fluoxetine was seen on shoaling behavior. However, in paired trials, high-fluoxetine-exposed fish exhibited a significantly greater shoaling propensity. Hence, effects of fluoxetine were mediated by social context, highlighting the importance of this fundamental but rarely considered factor when evaluating impacts of environmental pollution.

Young Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa) Can Perform Pavlovian Eyeblink Conditioning.

Introduction: Pigs have been an increasingly popular preclinical model in nutritional neuroscience, as their anatomy, physiology, and nutrition requirements are highly comparable to those of humans. Eyeblink conditioning is one of the most well-validated behavioral paradigms in neuroscience to study underlying mechanisms of learning and memory formation in the cerebellum. Eyeblink conditioning has been performed in many species but has never been done on young pigs. Therefore, our aim here was to develop and validate an eyeblink conditioning paradigm in young pigs.Method: Eighteen intact male pigs were artificially reared from postnatal day 2–30. The eyeblink conditioning setup consisted of a sound-damping box with a hammock that pigs were placed in, which allowed the pig to remain comfortable yet maintain a typical range of head motion. In a delay conditioning paradigm, the conditional stimulus (CS) was a 550 ms blue light-emitting diode (LED), the unconditional stimulus (US) was a 50 ms eye air-puff, the CS-US interval was 500 ms. Starting at postnatal day 14, pigs were habituated for 5 days to the eyeblink conditioning setup, followed by 5 daily sessions of acquisition training (40 paired CS-US trials each day).Results: The group-averaged amplitude of conditioned eyelid responses gradually increased over the course of the 5 days of training, indicating that pigs learned to make the association between the LED light CS and the air-puff US. A similar increase was found for the conditioned response (CR) probability: the group-averaged CR probability on session 1 was about 12% and reached a CR probability of 55% on day 5. The latency to CR peak time lacked a temporal preference in the first session but clearly showed preference from the moment that animals started to show more CRs in session 2 and onwards whereby the eyelid was maximally closed exactly at the moment that the US would be delivered.Conclusion: We concluded that 3-week-old pigs have the capability of performing in a cerebellar classical conditioning task, demonstrating for the first time that eyeblink conditioning in young pigs has the potential to be a valuable behavioral tool to measure neurodevelopment.

On the Alignment Between Self-Declared Gender Identity and Topical Content from Wikipedia

Wikipedia is an important information source for much of the world. One well-established problem is that editors of Wikipedia are overwhelmingly men. This gender gap in participation has resulted in a concern that the content suffers biases as a result of the bias in participation. This problem is hard to study, because the relationships between participation, gender identity, and content have not been established. Prior studies, mostly with children, have shown some differences in topical preferences based on sex. However, this issue has not been studied with adults and has not been considered from more than a binary stance. In this study, we work to understand how gender identity relates to topical preferences. Through an empirical study, we ask participants to declare a gender identity and then present them with pairs of topical article content from Wikipedia. Through thousands of participants and tens of thousands of paired content trials, we uncover relationships between self-declared gender identity and topical preferences. Further, by focusing on topics that have a statistically significant bias, we leverage two of Wikipedia's category systems to illustrate relative categorical differences that are similar to categorical differences described in prior work. The discussion focuses on the subtly of these differences, potential future research, and the implications for interventions based on topical content. Further, the results help us reflect on relationships that might explain the persistent and worsening gender gap in participation.

Absence of Jamming Avoidance and Flight Path Similarity in Paired Bent-Winged Bats, Miniopterus Fuliginosus

Echolocating bats perceive their surroundings by listening to the echoes of self-generated ultrasound pulses. When multiple conspecifics fly in close proximity to each other, sounds emitted from nearby individuals could mutually interfere with echo reception. Many studies suggest that bats employ frequency shifts to avoid spectral overlap of pulses with other bats. Technical constraints in recording technology have made it challenging to capture subtle changes in the pulse characteristics of bat calls. Therefore, how bats change their behavior to extract their own echoes in the context of acoustic interference remains unclear. Also, to our best knowledge, no studies have investigated whether individual flight paths change when other bats are present, although movements likely reduce acoustic masking. Here, we recorded the echolocation pulses of bats flying alone or in pairs using telemetry microphones. Flight trajectories were also reconstructed using stereo camera recordings. We found no clear tendency to broaden individual differences in the acoustic characteristics of pulses emitted by pairs of bats compared to bats flying alone. However, some bats showed changes in pulse characteristics when in pairs, which suggests that bats can recognize their own calls based on the initial differences in call characteristics between individuals. In addition, we found that the paired bats spend more time flying in the same directions than in the opposite directions. Besides, we found that the flight paths of bats were more similar in “paired flight trials” than in virtual pairs of paired flight trials. Our results suggest that the bats tend to follow the other bat in paired flight. For the following bat, acoustic interference may be reduced, while the opportunity to eavesdrop on other bats’ calls may be increased.

Determination of the Efficacy of the Cold Atmospheric Plasma with Nano Tio2 Covered in Cathode Towards Enveloped Viruses such as Covid 19 and Influenza in Room Air

In this research, Medwave air and surface disinfection system (model:Klin20)selected to investigation effect , towards aerosolised enveloped viruses in room air. Phi6Pseudomonas syringae phage, a surrogate for coronavirus and influenza, was used in the trials Viral suspensions of Phi6 were aerosolised within the ukas accreditation Campden BRI aerobiology laboratory to achieve initial levels of ~106PFU/m3, representing very heavily contaminated air . Air samples were taken at 15 minute intervals and analysed to determine levels of Phi6 in the room air over a total test period of 135 minutes. On 3 separate days, paired trials were carried out with the Medwave switched onand with the units witched off as a control to determine baseline levels of virus in the air overtime. Trials carried out on the first two test days showed no reduction in viral titre compared with the control. Further investigation revealed that a wiring loom within the test unit had become disconnected during transport and the instrument was therefore not functioning correctly. Results from the trial showed that the level of Phi6 in the room air decreased rapidly from an initial titre of 6.12 log PFU/m3to undetectable levels (<1.78 log PFU/m3) after 45 minutes of operation, representing a log reduction of ≥4.00 logs compared with the control run with the unit switched off. Log reductions of 2.21, 3.30and ≥4.00 logs were observed after 15, 30 and 45 minutes respective to the log PFU/m3countsin the control run Keywords: Bioaerosols nano-titanium atmospheric cold plasma, covid19

Functional and morphological analysis of isolates of phylloplane and rhizoplane endophytic bacteria interacting in different cocoa production systems in the Amazon.

Endophytic bacteria colonize different internal tissues of plants without damaging their cells. They can establish themselves in the same niche as other microorganisms and develop antagonistic activities against phytopathogens. There is little research on the functional and morphological characterization of these bacteria in production systems in the Amazon. Thus, the objective of this work was to functionally and morphologically characterize endophytic bacteria isolated from cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao L.) and evaluate their antagonistic potential against phytopathogens. A total of 197 endophytic bacteria isolates were obtained from leaves and roots of cocoa plants with different production systems and at different times of the year. The characterization of functional groups consisted of proteolytic, amylolytic and cellulolytic activity and ability to fix nitrogen and solubilize phosphate. Morphological diversity was evaluated mainly according to the following parameters: shape, color, size and elevation of the colony. Thirteen isolates of endophytic bacteria, selected by cluster analysis, were used to evaluate the antagonistic potential in paired trials against four species of phytopathogenic fungi. The largest amount of endophytic bacteria was isolated from the root (95.9%), in the dry season. The most expressive activities with regards to the enzyme index were amylolytic (71.9%), proteolytic (70.2%) and nitrogen fixing (38.6%), respectively. The similarity analysis formed two clusters with isolates CS R 2.4 and CS R 2.25 exhibiting 100% similarity. Five isolates displayed inhibitory activity against phytopathogenic fungi, most notably isolate TS R 2.19, which exhibited antagonistic activity against all fungi and mycelial growth inhibition rates between 25.7% and 50.7%. Understanding the interaction between endophytes in cocoa plants is important as a possible additional tool in biological control. Our studies are incipient and the first to be carried out in different cocoa production systems in the state of Pará, Brazil.

Lack of caste discrimination by males during sexual context in a neotropical paper wasp

AbstractPotential mates often exhibit strong variation in reproductive quality, so the choice for the best sexual partner is generally adaptive. However, its adaptive value diminishes in cases where potential mates are similarly fit or when mate choice is too costly, leading mate choice to be unusual or absent. “Primitively eusocial” insects have flexible castes. Workers usually behave as “helpers,” but sometimes they mate and lay fertilized eggs. Despite worker totipotence, direct reproduction is, overall, higher in queens. Males of the temperate paper wasp Polistes dominula are able to discriminate castes, preferring gynes (= future queens) over workers, thus assuring more profitable mates. To our knowledge, no study has tested this ability in neotropical paper wasps. Here, we test the prediction that in the congeneric neotropical paper wasp Polistes versicolor, male sexual preference for gynes is unusual or absent. We perform laboratory paired mating trials in which a male was introduced to either a gyne or a worker. Caste assigned was confirmed by morphophysiological analysis. As predicted, male sexual interest was similar regardless of female caste. Conducting gas chromatography analysis, we demonstrated that queens and workers have distinct cuticular hydrocarbon profiles so caste‐related cues are available. We discuss the possibility that reduced differences in direct reproductive potential between castes and high costs of caste discrimination account for the absence of mate choice for gynes in P. versicolor males despite its occurrence in P. dominula. Thus, caste discrimination by males during sexual context is not so strict in species in which workers are able to mate and lay fertilized eggs.

Do implant-supported prostheses affect bioavailability of nutrients of complete and partially edentulous patients? A systematic review with meta-analysis

Summary Background & aims Debate still exists about the impact of dental implant-supported prostheses on nutritional status of partially and complete edentulous patients. This review aims to answer the focused question: “Do complete and partial edentulous patients, using implant-supported prostheses, present better nutritional and masticatory functions when compared to those using conventional rehabilitations?”. A possible cause–effect relationship between masticatory improvements and nutritional gain was also evaluated. Methods Literature search included 6 databases (PubMed/Medline, Embase, LILACS, Scopus, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library - CENTRAL), grey literature (Google Scholar, Proquest Dissertations and Thesis and Open Grey databases) and manual search (last update June 2020), without language, publication time and follow-up restrictions. We included only studies evaluating both masticatory and nutritional outcomes. The PICO question comprised complete and partial edentulous patients (Population), submitted to implant-supported prostheses (Intervention), in comparison to conventional dental prosthetic rehabilitation, evaluating masticatory function and nutrition parameters (outcomes). Risk of bias was assessed by using Cochrane Collaboration's tool (randomized clinical trials), Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist (paired clinical trials), and Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument” (JBI - MAStARI) critical appraisal tools (cohort studies). All meta-analyses were conducted at 5% level of significance. This report followed the PRISMA guidelines. (Review registration PROSPERO - CRD42019135744). Results We identified 1199 articles while searching databases. Fourteen articles met eligibility criteria, including 817 prostheses installed in 660 patients (mean age = 66.8 years-old). Patients wearing implant overdentures (IOD) presented better masticatory function in comparison to conventional complete denture (CD) wearers (p Conclusion Current evidence indicates significant masticatory improvements for dental fixed implant-supported prostheses in comparison to conventional removable prostheses. However, bioavailability remained stable for most of the nutrients, especially for complete edentulous patients. These results indicate the importance of a multidisciplinary approach during oral rehabilitation (nutrient specialist), in order to enhance food choices and promote health benefits to the patients.

329 Why kennel and cattery food preference trials may not predict pet preferences in home?

Abstract Paired preference trials conducted in kennels and catteries have been the gold standard for measuring food preferences of dogs and cats for decades. Kennel and cattery environments control for numerous confounding variables and collect precise measurements. The qualities that bring great precision to paired preference trials conducted in kennel and cattery environments also lower the external validity of their findings. Many pet food manufactures become frustrated when a finding of “no significant difference”, or even a “win,” found for food preference in a kennel and cattery environment becomes a loss when “pet enjoyment/liking” is measured in-home. I will cover key differences in the participants, conditions, and measures that likely account for such divergent findings. I will discuss advantages of early in-home product assessment for dog and cat product enjoyment/liking. Lastly, I will present new methods that can be applied to product trials conducted in kennel and cattery environments to increase the external validity of their findings.

The Most Cited Original Articles in Brain Imaging of Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Bibliometric Analysis Between 1984 and 2019.

Objective: Brain imaging is important in diagnosing children with cerebral palsy (CP) and in identifying its etiology. To provide study navigation in this field, a bibliometric analysis was conducted by analyzing the most highly cited articles.Methods: The Web of Science All Databases were used for literature search in this study. All original articles on imaging in children with CP were searched. Two reviewers screened the search results independently and eliminated articles based on exclusion criteria such as participants over 20 years old, topics referring to images outside of the brain, or trauma. According to descending order of yearly citation counts, the top 25% of all included articles were considered as highly cited articles. Information such as yearly citations, research purposes, imaging modalities, CP types, and study designs were recorded and analyzed.Results: A total of 50 highly cited articles ranked by yearly citations (from 23.85 to 3.33, 1991–2018) were included in this study. Considering different research purposes, these studies were classified into three categories: diagnosis studies (n = 25; 1991–2017, median: 2011), mechanism studies (n = 15; 1999–2018; median: 2014), and prognosis and therapeutic effect studies (n = 10; 2008–2017; median: 2014.5). First, for diagnosis studies, 22 studies used single modality and three used multi-modalities; the majority of these studies focused on diagnostic value evaluation (n = 10) and image performance (n = 12) of a single type of CP (n = 15) by using descriptive (n = 14) or cross-sectional approaches (n = 10). Second, for mechanism studies, the ratio between single and multi-modality was 8:7; most of these studies concentrated on a single subtype of spastic CP (hemiplegia = 10, quadriplegia = 2) with a cross-sectional study design (n = 10). Third, regarding the prognosis and therapeutic effect studies, the single vs. multi-modality ratio was 5:5, and these studies were dedicated to the efficiency of constraint-induced movement therapy in children with hemiplegia; paired design trials (n = 6) and randomized controlled trials (n = 2) were used more frequently.Conclusion: Studies using multi-modality and high-level evidence-based design to provide information regarding mechanism, prognosis, and therapeutic efficacy may be the potential future research direction in the field of CP research.